Spanish football shaken by drug claims made by former Real Sociedad president
Spanish football was at the centre of doping allegations on Monday when footage emerged of a former president of Real Sociedad admitting the club paid about £280,000 a year to Eufemiano Fuentes, the doctor on trial for doping cyclists.
By Nick Hoult
7:00PM GMT 04 Feb 2013
Iñaki Badiola, who was president of Real Sociedad in 2008, also admitted on Monday to sacking two doctors when an investigation discovered players at the club had been involved in doping for six years and payments had been made for “strange medicines”.
Badiola’s allegations go to the top of Spanish football. He claims doping at the club went on under his predecessors as president including José Luis Astiazarán, who is now the president of the governing body of La Liga. Astiazarán issued a denial on Monday.
Fuentes was arrested as part of the Operation Puerto police investigation in 2006 and rumours of widespread doping in Spanish sport have grown since. Last week the judge denied him permission to reveal the names of his clients outside cycling but his trial is expected to run until the end of next month, with testimony today from police officers.
The allegations involving Real Sociedad are the first serious accusations against Spanish football, with Badiola a credible witness.
He gave a wide-ranging interview to a Spanish website on Monday alleging widespread doping before he took over the club and footage was also released showing him in 2008 telling shareholders that Fuentes was heavily involved with the team when they finished second in La Liga in 2002-03, their highest finish since 1988.
He said: “€327,443 [£281,500] has been spent annually during a number of years in payment to Eufemiano Fuentes, undeclared. Including the year La Real finished second. Eufemiano Fuentes, from Operation Puerto, was the man who provided the medicine. We’ve been buying strange medicines for €342,000 [£294,000] per year.
“Real Sociedad acquired medicines for €328,000 [£282,000] that were not listed in the accounts. This means there is another type of accounting at practice here – there is no supporting documentation, no bills or delivery details that can be identified. We know what types of medicine they are and we won’t get involved in what they were or weren’t used for. We know of the entries in the other accounts, the days payments were made and the people who were paid.”
In 2002-03 Real Sociedad narrowly lost out on their first title since the early 1980s when Real Madrid won their final match of the season. They were relegated the following year. The 2002-03 Sociedad side included Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder who now plays for Real Madrid, and were coached by Frenchman Raynald Denoueix. There is no suggestion they were involved in doping.
When Badiola took over the club and audited the accounts payments for mysterious medicines were discovered and doctors, Eduardo Escobar and Antxon Gorrotxategi, were sacked but there was no investigation of players.
Badiola has admitted doping in football is inadequately policed and open to abuse.
“They acquired substances which were not authorised,” Badiola said. “In my years, 2008 and 2009, there were no strange medical practices. We did an audit of the previous six years. We have not gone against the players and we do not know if all were subjected to such practices. No names were mentioned – our investigation was directed against the physicians. I think in football doping may not be as necessary as, for example, in cycling.
“The system is poorly regulated, there is a failure and doping is way ahead, with doctors who can cover it up perfectly. There are urine tests which does not seek EPO, which denotes a neglect and an unwillingness to clean up this sport.”
Last week documents in the Operation Puerto trial contained the code RSOC, which Fuentes joked sounded like “the name of a good wine”, but Badiola said appeared to be a reference to Real Sociedad.
“It looks like it, but it should be Eufemiano himself who confirms it in court,” he said. “What is certain is that, in 2008, our board publicly denounced doctors Eduardo Escobar and Antxon Gorrotxategi because, in the six seasons before us, at least, the directors paid for medicines or products which at that moment were categorised as used in doping. These were acquired with dirty money on the black market. We would like to see if [the evidence seen in court] fits with what we already said in 2008.”
When contacted by The Telegraph last week Fifa declined to comment about the Puerto trial and whether it will attempt to view evidence collated by Spanish prosecutors. Fuentes has admitted in the past he worked with clubs from La Liga. Real Madrid and Barcelona successfully sued French newspaper Le Monde for saying he worked for them.
Badiola claimed Spanish sport refuses to deal with doping and that Astiazarán should resign.
“The case is clear. In any normal country, in the United States for example, with proof existing of involvement in banned practices, [Astiazarán] would be immediately removed from his position,” he said. “In Spain, what happens is things move slowly or not at all. But I believe Astiazarán is not the most suitable person to be in charge of the LFP [Spain’, post: s professional league"].”
Astiazarán issued a swift denial. “During my time as president of Real Sociedad [2001-2005], I never had knowledge or suspicion of illegal practices by the club’s medical services, who always worked to the maximum ethical and professional standards,” he said. “If I had [knowledge or suspicion] I would have taken the proper forceful and diligent action.”
The LFP also published a lengthy statement from Astiazarán, who was Sociedad president between 2001 and 2005, which said: "Real Sociedad has always, and obviously under my presidency, collaborated closely with authorities charged with testing for doping and there has never been any incident in the numerous anti-doping tests taken. Given the statements and falsities expressed by Mr Badiola, I reserve the right to begin whatever legal proceedings will be necessary to defend my honour."
Who is Astiazaran?
José Luis Astiazarán, the former Real Sociedad president who has denied players doped during his reign, presently performs the same role for the body that runs La Liga and the Spanish second division.
A product of the Sociedad youth academy, the 49-year-old never quite made the grade as a player but has carved out a career as lawyer specialising in sport.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...s-made-by-former-Real-Sociedad-president.html
